Yes, kindness does help the heart in the spiritual sense. But did you know that kindness also benefits the physical, blood-pumping heart as well? When you perform an act of kindness that fills you with emotional warmth, oxytocin, the "feel good hormone", is released by the pituitary gland. Along with helping to establish bonding, oxytocin also decreases cortisol, the stress hormone, in the...

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Following each wellness screening, you get a whole list of numbers back, but if you're not sure what they mean, you don't have the ability to make them work for you. One of the tests that Fort Wayne Metals has covered for employees in the last two years is CRP, or C-Reactive Protein. CRP is a protein, which is released by the liver...

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Whether or not you're on board with the pumpkin craze that sets in every fall, there's no denying the health benefits that come along with the real stuff (not the artificial flavoring in pumpkin Oreos - sorry!).  Pumpkin is a nutrient-dense vegetable, from the squash family, meaning it provides a generous amount of nutrients when compared to the number of calories per serving....

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Did you know there's a right way to take your blood pressure? Unfortunately, fasting doesn't fit within the conditions ideal for an accurate measurement, which is why blood pressure rechecks are always offered after the annual wellness screening. Additionally, there are several other factors that can produce an inaccurate, elevated reading. In order to ensure the most accurate blood pressure reading, consider following...

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ONE-ON-ONE WELLNESS OPPORTUNITIES Fitness Assessment/Body Composition Assessment A fitness assessment is a series of tests that helps your trainer determine your physical fitness level and aids in developing your personalized program. The results can identify your strengths and weaknesses in relation to your physical fitness and help in setting attainable fitness goals. Whether working on your own or with a trainer, a fitness...

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When I was preparing to go on vacation with my husband last week, I packed some snacks and a couple of cold meals that I knew would hold up in a cooler, that would give me a healthy option to help me bypass the typical traveling drive thru stop. One of those meals was a salad, but when meal time came around, given...

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While you're focusing on reducing your screen time through the month of July, it's the perfect time to get outdoors and focus on fitting some fun activity in. Whether you're walking your dogs, riding your bike, or playing with your kids, Fort Wayne Parks and Trails offer many opportunities to get out and get moving. Fort Wayne Trails has built ninety miles of...

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The majority of information on this wellness blog focuses on two of the biggest subjects that come to mind when people consider wellness - nutrition and exercise. While these two components of wellness clearly impact your health, there are some activities/habits that people may not be as quick to link to health, like technology and, more specifically, social media use. Let's explore the...

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One of the biggest barriers I hear from people struggling to eat clean, nutritious food is the cost. While Fort Wayne has drawn more natural-based grocery stores in the last couple of years that offer healthier options, the open, airy, coffee-in-your-hand shopping experience can come with added costs. Enter ALDI, the no-frills, generic cousin to Trader Joe's. ALDI has a couple of tricks...

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While trail mix is often thought of as a healthy snack, many packaged versions add in some unhealthy ingredients, like preservatives and tons of added sugar, in the form of granulated sugar, candies like M&Ms and/or dried fruit. If you're interested in a cleaner option, or if you'd just like the ability to pick and choose the nuts and fixings you like best,...

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I find when I talk about yoga that I often run into people that think there's no way they can do it. It has a bit of an intimidation factor, which I can understand if what of you've seen of yoga is ridiculously flexible people in handstands with their backs arching to the degree that they can touch their feet to their head. ...

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If you're looking for a light, cool dish to serve as a side, or even as the main event this summer, look no farther. The berries and dressing offer a sweet treat without any added sugar, and the avocado offers a good source of fat to fill you up. If you'd like to beef it up a little more, make it a Cobb...

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Whether you're just feeding yourself, or you're trying to impress company, stuffed squash makes for a fun and beautiful, yet simple meal. If you're cooking for yourself, it's great because you end up with easily portioned leftovers for lunches, which reheat really well. Serves: 4 Ingredients: 2 acorn squash 1 pound ground turkey 1 leek, thinly sliced (white part only) 1 red pepper...

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When the heat of summer rolls around, there's nothing like the comfort of a refreshing, cold treat. When I was growing up, summer meant a freezer full of ice pops and lots of trips to the local ice cream joint. It's written into my family's history - with a grandpa that owned a place called The Dairy Depot and made homemade ice cream...

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If you are looking for a way to break into strength training, but you're intimidated by equipment, or you don't have easy access to lots of equipment, look no further. Below, you'll find a total body strength training program to help you get started, with a resistance band as your only piece of equipment. You can find resistance bands at any big box...

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With the emergence of summer weather lately, I've had an urge for a refreshing, cold drink in my hand - something a little more exciting than water. But with a commitment to live sans sugar and alcohol, finding a drink to satisfy that craving has been tough. That is, until I had to buy some mint and lime for a recipe and thought,...

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After viewing our resource on finding sugar on a nutrition label, you may have gone home and been able to identify which foods are off-limits during your 30 day Sugar Challenge. But what about when you're eating out or going to a party? What do you do when you don't have a label to check? 1. Check Out Your Options Before You Order...

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In the midst of hosting our first Strength Training 101 session yesterday, lots of information was shared, and several great questions were posed by those that attended, which I would like to use here to create a go-to guide for general strength training programs. Frequency: Strength gains can be made by committing to as little as twenty minutes, two days per week. If...

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Everyone knows that high blood pressure is bad for your health, but do you understand what it means and why it's harmful? The American Heart Association has set the following blood pressure ranges for identifying your health risk: The reason blood pressure monitoring is so important is because hypertension has been deemed "the silent killer" - it generally is a symptomless disease, but...

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This will be the third year we will be offering the Sugar Challenge. Those that have participated in the past have reported weight loss, clearer skin, more energy, and just a greater general well-being. I hope you will join us! The incentive will be structured a little differently this year. You will receive one point for each day you go without any added...

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Have you ever taken a look at the ingredients labels on your most commonly used foods? Chances are, if your food comes from a package, can, bottle or jar, there's likely to be at least one mystery ingredient that you can't pronounce or have no clue what it is. Allow me to demonstrate with Hellman's mayonnaise: Soybean oil, water, eggs, vinegar, salt, sugar,...

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As a personal trainer, I have heard from countless people why they've avoided strength training throughout their lives - everything from, "I don't want to look like a bodybuilder," to, "I'm focusing on cardio to lose weight." Because of all of the misconceptions surrounding strength/resistance training, today I'm offering up reasons why everyone should participate in some kind of strength program, how that...

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Each night, when you sleep, you go through several sleep cycles, each lasting about 90 minutes on average. During that 90 minute period, your body goes through five sleep stages, in varying lengths, which can be divided into two categories: NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) sleep consists of the first 4/5 stages of sleep. During the course of NREM sleep, your muscle movement, breathing...

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As a wellness coach and personal trainer, I'm often asked for ideas on how to be healthier and more fit. My personal wellness journey has looked less like a path, and more like a roller coaster over the last 10 years, with me slowly figuring things out along the way with some good old fashioned trial and error. I've decided to compile a...

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One of my goals as a wellness coach is to help people tap into resources available to them, that will help them engage in a healthy lifestyle. At one point, I highlighted Fresh Thyme, in Fort Wayne. That being said, there are many people that live outside of Fort Wayne for which accessing organic, healthy food can be largely inconvenient. One possible solution...

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